Asia
Jin, Ba obituary, 1904-2005
Obituary in the Guardian of Chinese author and anarchist Ba Jin, on Tuesday October 18, 2005 by John Gittings
Ba Jin:Chinese writer who made the journey from anarchism to Mao and back again
Sakae, Osugi, 1885-1923
A biography of Japanese anarchist Osugi Sakae.
1. Ōsugi and Bakunin
The Meaning of Tiananmen
Burt Green analyses the events of Tiananmen Square and their consequences.
The Meaning of Tiananmen
"It's anarchy, but it's organized anarchy."
- Dan Rather, reporting from Tiananmen Square in late May/early June 1989
China: Riots in Chongqing after death of a schoolboy
Rioting broke out in Chonqing after it was reported that the child's parents had been arrested.
The secondary school pupil died last Thursday after being stabbed by another pupil. 10000 people took to the streets to protest after it was reported that the parents had been arrested after having complained about delays in calling for an ambulance.
China: Workers in Guangdong attacked for asking to be paid
Construction workers building a dam near Heyuan, were attacked after demanding payment, having gone four months without wages.
Some 300-400 workers at the site, currently building a hydro-electric power station, went on strike last Friday in protest at the massive wage arrears. Some 200 hired thugs then attacked the workers. Lei Mingzhong, is reported to be in a coma and brain dead and acccording to doctors has no chance of recovery. Many other workers were injured in the clashes.
China: Slave labour in brick kilns
At least 600 people have been freed by authorities from slave labour working in brick kilns in northern China.
The government acted to move against the use of slave labour in Shanxi and Henan provinces, freeing 600 people, 10% of whom were children. However government action appears, at least in part, to be motivated by workers action. A blog set up by parents in Henan reports having freed 40 children from slave labour using direct action.
Democratic stresses in Nepal and its regional implications
A brief look at some aspects of the political situation in Nepal today and its wider regional context.
The rapidly expanding economies of some parts of Asia have not been accompanied by a uniformly greater integration into Western structures of political administration. South Asia is experiencing a crisis of its democratic institutions; leftists, islamicists and nationalists compete with ruling powers for conquest of the state and domination of workers and peasants.
Vietnam: Further wildcats in the garment sector
Over 800 workers at a Taiwanese-owned garment company in Ho Chi Minh City struck work Wednesday demanding lower workload and social welfare coverage.
Thanh Nien Daily reported:
The workers at Top Royal Flash Ltd. said they had been forced to work overtime four or five days a week for the past four months. Though the company had deducted part of their salaries to pay social insurance for half a year, it did not send the amount to the authorities, according to the workers.
Indian airlines hit by wildcat strike
Tens of thousands had flights cancelled as workers at the Indian state-owned airline walked out over wages in arrears.
Indiaenews.com reported that employees of Indian airlines went on a snap strike over pay with union chiefs vowing to continue the stir until their demands are met.
Across the country, the industrial action crippled air services, forcing passengers to either cancel their flights or sweat it out - in blistering heat in some cities - waiting for a delayed departure.
China: riots against police brutality
People in the south-western city of Chongqing fought riot police after a flower-seller was attacked by a policeman.
The rioting took place last weekend. It is currently unclear why the policeman attacked Mr Changming, but he was apparently hospitalised after being beaten with a shovel. His wife brother-in-law and son were also injured.
